Big Read “Wild” Winter extends the conversation for the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Big Read, focusing on Jack London’s The Call of the Wild. Posts reflect how this classic novel came alive for readers during the winter of 2013 in communities throughout Western New York. Many of the authors of this blog are SUNY Fredonia English majors who collaborated with partners throughout the community to host literary discussions.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

NEA Big Read Event at Patterson Library by Ayla Dziduch, Thomas Beiter, and Pilar PadrónIntro:
We presented at the Patterson Library in Westfield, NY. We had a
modest event of six people. The intimacy of our event led to a wonderful
and enriching discussion, that really helped to accomplish what the NEA
has set out to do.Why did we do the Big Read? What is the Big Read about?
The National Endowment of the Arts (NEA) started the Big Read Program
in 2006 as a way to try to bring back the enjoyment of leisurely reading into the American Culture and to revitalize the role of reading
and literature. Since its national launch in 2007 there has been over
one thousand Big Read events nationwide. Who was Jack London?

Born as John Griffith in January of 1876 in San Francisco, California, Jack London grew up within the working class in the Oakland Slums. He spent his time doing
odd jobs such as sealing ships, shoveling coal, pirating oysters, and
working in a cannery, and spending all of his free time in a library with his
nose buried in any novel or travel book he could get his hands on.
His writing career didn't begin until his mother heard about a writing
contest through their local paper where he won first place out writing
writers from Stanford and Berkeley. From then on, London made a point to
write down at least one thousand words each day and soon began
publishing in the Overland Monthly to get his name and work known in the public eye. At the age of twenty seven, London published his first novel The Call of the Wild
in 1903 with great success. London published a total of fifty novels
within his short life time, was married twice, and had two daughters.
London soon died from a life long battle against Kidney Disease on
November 22, 1916. The importance of the Klondike Gold Rush:

The Klondike Gold Rush was the setting of the novel. Gold was discovered in the Klondike
region of the Yukon in August of 1896. The Yukon region is located in Northwest Canada. The gold
rush lasted from 1896 until the year 1899. Prospectors came
from all over the West Coast of the United States, coming from as far
as San Francisco. At most 30,000-40,000 prospectors actually made it
into Canada, for they were told to turn around when they reached as far
as Seattle if they did not have the necessary provisions (which was
about 1,500 lbs. of food and supplies). The remoteness of the region of
where the gold actually existed was small, hard to find, and even harder
to reach. The peak of the gold rush brought in roughly 1.139 million American dollars in 1899, which is comparable to $1 Billion today. Most prospectors
didn’t even reach gold, as only around 4,000 actually struck gold.

The list of the supplies needed were as follows:

Clothing and supplies:

-2 suits heavy knit underwear -1 mackinaw, coat, pants, shirt

-6 pairs wool socks -1 pair heavy buck lined mitts

-1 pairs heavy moccasins -1 pair unlined leather gloves

-2 pairs german stockings -1 duck coat, pants, vest

-2 heavy flannel overshirts -6 towels

-1 heavy woolen sweater -1 pocket matchbox, buttons, needles and

-1 pair overalls thread

-2 pairs 12-lb. blankets -1 mirror and toothbrush

-1 waterproof blanket -mosquito netting

-1 dozen bandana handkerchiefs -1 sleeping bag

-1 stiff brim cowboy hat

-1 pair hip rubber boots

-1 pair high land boots

Food and other supplies:

-100 lbs navy beans -1/2 lb. mustard -1 lb. citric acid

-150 lbs. bacon -1/4 lb. vinegar

-400 lbs. flour -2 doz. condensed milk

-40 lbs. rolled oats -20 lbs. evaporated potatoes

-20 lbs. corn meal -5 lbs. evaporated onions

-10 lbs. rice -6 tins beef extract

-25 lbs. sugar -75 lbs. evaporated fruits

-10 lbs. tea -4 pkgs. yeast cakes

-20 lbs. coffee -20 lbs. candles

-10 lbs. baking powder -1 pkg. tin matches

-20 lbs. salt -6 lbs. laundry soap

-1 lb. pepper -1/2 lb ground ginger

-2 lbs. baking soda -25 hard tack

What is the important need to know information about the novel?
The novel was written in 1903. The main character Buck is
a large St. Bernard/Scottish Shepherd Mix. This equips him greatly for
the wild. After four years as a domestic dog, Buck is stolen from his
comfortable home life and sold in to the life of being a sled dog,
participating in the Gold Rush. Upon being reintroduced to a more wild
life, Buck quickly rediscovers his primordial side and takes charge of
the pack becoming the leader. Buck was sold a few times until finding
love and comfort in his final owner John Thornton. John is his last
attachment to his human side. Upon John’s death, Buck abandons his human
side and takes his place permanently with a wild pack of wolves.

What influenced Jack London's writing of this novel?

On July 25, 1897, Jack London started participating in the Gold
Rush. He spent several weeks in the Yukon wilderness observing sled dogs
and what it was like to be a part of the Gold Rush. During these weeks
London was inspired to write The Call of the Wild.
He learned about breed and behavior from his interaction with sled
dogs. This interaction inspired the character Buck greatly, as well as
the other dogs. These personal experiences inspired The Call of the Wild.Join Our Discussion! It is YOUR turn!

What are the several meanings of the call of the wild?

The call that Buck feels VS the call that the humans feel?

Are they different or just disguised in different beings?

Are humans still driven by this instinctual animalistic side today? In what ways?

If not, what makes humans different than animals or in this case dogs?

Which is more important in this novel, animal nature or human nature?

Works Cited:

Courbin-Tavernier, Jacqueline.”The Call of the Wild and the Jungle: Jack

1 comment:

Hello,I'm a french student and I'm using Jack London's photo for an exam, but I cannot find the name of the photographer or the date of publication of this photo (the one with the hat). If you have some informations about it, I would be glad to know them.I look forward to hearing from you very soon.Yours sincerely, Lina Ismail.